ALAMEDA – Raiders safety Tyvon Branch was close to a return to action for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, but his long road back from a fractured fibula took a detour.
He was downgraded from questionable to out before the team left the East Bay. Team doctors didn’t believe his ankle was quite ready for the rigors of live football, so they postponed his return.
Branch remained a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, as he was all last week. There’s no guarantee that Branch will play next week against Kansas City at Oakland Coliseum.
“I don’t know,” Raiders coach Dennis Allen said. “I think it’s still questionable about whether he’ll be able to go or not.”
Branch has been out since Week 2, and the Raiders’ return on investment for leaving him on the 53-man roster decreases with each passing game. Branch will be active for three games at maximum, all of them relatively meaningless in the grand scheme.
Raiders participation report
Did not practice: RB Darren McFadden (ankle), RB Jeremy Stewart (ankle, knee), DT Vance Walker (concussion).
Limited participation: SS Tyvon Branch (ankle), TE Nick Kasa (concussion), WR Denarius Moore (shoulder), OLB Sio Moore (neck)
Injured reserve: LB Kaluka Maiava, S Usama Young, CB D.J. Hayden (groin), WR Juron Criner (shoulder), TE David Ausberry (shoulder), RB Latavius Murray (ankle), K Eddie Carmona (leg), G Tony Bergstrom (foot)
